The study suggests that regular consumption of these foods can actually alter the brain, creating a vicious cycle of overeating that's difficult to break.
The study, conducted by an international team of scientists, followed 33,654 participants from the UK Biobank over eight years. They underwent advanced brain scans after their eating habits were tracked in detail. The results revealed that people who consumed higher amounts of ultra-processed foods showed significant changes in the brain regions responsible for hunger and reward.
OAccording to Professor Arsene Kanyameboa, a brain scientist at the University of Helsinki and co-author of the study, "These brain changes are linked to behavioral patterns such as overeating, and ingredients and additives in these foods, such as emulsifiers, play an important role in these changes, regardless of obesity or inflammation."
The study showed that these foods cause inflammation in the hypothalamus, a region of the brain responsible for regulating hunger, disrupting the natural satiety mechanism. At the same time, they overstimulate the brain's reward circuits, causing people to crave these foods even when they're full and lose control over their intake.
The tests also revealed early signs of cognitive decline and brain shrinkage in areas responsible for reward and motivation, which impairs self-control and promotes compulsive eating habits.
These findings complement a previous study this year that showed that eating just an additional 100 grams of ultra-processed foods per day—the equivalent of two packs of potato chips—increases the risk of life-threatening heart disease by 5.9% and raises the risk of high blood pressure by 14.5%.
